Obama, Merkel Agree to High-level Talks on U.S. Surveillance Program

WASHINGTON, July 3 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and
Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany agreed on Wednesday to hold
high-level bilateral talks between their security officials in
coming days on U.S. surveillance activities and security issues,
the White House said in a statement.

Obama and Merkel spoke by telephone in the wake of an uproar
in the European Union about a report in a German magazine that
Washington was spying on the EU.

"The president assured the chancellor that the United States
takes seriously the concerns of our European allies and
partners," the White House said, noting U.S. and EU officials
would discuss intelligence and privacy issues as early as July
8.
(Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Steve Holland; Editing by
Philip Barbara)